Christmas, Events In New Lenox: Lighting Ceremonies, Santa Visits

NEW LENOX, IL — There is no shortage of things to do in New Lenox to get the winter holiday season off to a rollicking good start.

Christmas and Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish festival of lights, intersect this year, with Hanukkah running Dec. 18-26. Christmas, of course, is on Dec. 25, but you don’t have to wait to start taking in all the sights and sounds of the holidays.

The annual Christmas In the Commons event kicks off with the lighting ceremony in New Lenox at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday in the Commons in downtown New Lenox.

Christmas parades — often complete with Santa Claus, festively decorated floats, and marching bands — are a holiday tradition, both nationally and locally.

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Several big parades are taking place this year, including the Mayor’s Annual Christmas Parade in Baltimore City, Maryland, and the Christmas Boat Parade in Newport Beach, California.

New Lenox's Christmas In The Commons will also include visits with Santa, which will take place in the Village Hall commons between 4 and 8 p.m. each day of the annual festival.

Horse-drawn. carriage rides are available from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. on all days of Christmas in the Commons. The last ride of each night will load at 7:45 p.m.

The festival will also include appearances by special characters such as Elsa and Anna (5-7 p.m.) on Dec. 4, Elsa and Anna and The Grinch (5-7 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. on Dec. 11), Buddy The Elf from 4-7 p.m. on Dec. 17 and Buddy The Elf and The Grinch from 4-7 p.m. and 4-8 p.m. on Dec. 18.

Ice Carving demonstrations will take place on Dec. 10 and 11 from 5-7 p.m. and each weekend of the festival will include live music performances.